Fall of Darkness (The Chronicles of Darkness) (10 page)

            “Not
at all Katie-did, not at all. I’ve only heard that three’s a company,” Guy told
her, cheerfully bursting into song. “Come and knock on our door---”

            “Enough,”
she flatly interrupted his singing, daring a fleeting glance at Dominic. The
silent man sat with his arms crossed over his chest and a half amused-half
irritated expression on his face. Great. It looked like she was on her own.
“What do you want, Guy?”

            Guy
shrugged and swiped a jumbo prawn from one of the neglected containers. Taking
his sweet time chewing and swallowing, followed by grunts of approval, he
finally answered. “Is that all the thanks I get for saving your ass?”

            “What?”
Kate squeaked.

            “Everyone
knows you’re back here getting busy with your new boy toy. I know you’re at
lunch, so you’re technically not on the clock, but it’s still against the
rules, Katie-did.”

            “Everyone
thinks I’m…” Kate choked out.

            “Thinks?”
he interrupted with the quirking of one sandy eyebrow. “Oh come on, honey, they
know. Who do you think you’re kidding? You’d be busy making babies if I hadn’t
come in when I did.”

            Kate
opened her mouth to protest but slammed it shut. He was probably right. What
had gotten into her? Another prawn popped into Guy’s mouth.

            “Mmm,
this stuff’s delicious. Where’s it from?”

            “Le
Jardin,” Dominic answered quietly, his face unreadable.

            “Really?
I didn’t think they did take out.”

            “They
don’t,” Dominic replied flatly.

            “Oh.”
Another shrimp from the cocktail disappeared into Guy’s mouth.

Kate sighed. “What do you want, Guy?”

            “What
do you think, Katie-did? I want what everyone out there wants. To meet the man
who managed the impossible,” Guy garbled through a mouth full of food.

            Not
quite sure she wanted to hear the answer, Kate asked anyway. “And what, might I
ask, is the impossible?”

            Guy
swallowed hard, displaying the first sign of any discomfiture since he crashed
their little party. “Never mind,” he mumbled inaudibly. Turning to include
Dominic for the first time, Guy held out his hand to the larger man. “I’m Guy
Thomas. Kate’s friend and one of the flight medics.”

            “Dominic
Ridolfi.”

            “Okay,
now everyone’s met,” Kate interjected. “I think it’s time for you to go, Guy.”

            “Ah
Katie, come on,” Guy groaned. “We haven’t even had dessert yet. What’s for
dessert anyway? Besides the obvious, I mean.” He waggled his eyebrows
suggestively.

            “Enough,
Guy. Out,” she ordered, pointing toward the door.

            Guy
popped another prawn into his mouth. “Fine, fine. I know when I’m not wanted.
Just behave yourself Katie-did.” He nodded at Dominic and gave him a
conspiratorial wink. “Dominic, nice work, man. It’s good to meet you.”

            “And
you,” Dominic agreed with an incline of his head. Kate couldn’t tell if he
meant it, but would venture a guess he didn’t.

            With
a jaunty wave, Guy was gone. Kate glanced at her watch.

            “No,”
she groaned. “I have to get back to work.”

            “So
soon?” Disappointment clouded his features.

            “I
only get thirty minutes,” Kate told him wistfully. “I wish Guy hadn’t wasted
any of it.”

            “Me
too,” he agreed, nuzzling into her neck. She started to cuddle into him, but
abruptly straightened. Green eyes flashing with anger, she swatted his chest.

            “Then
why didn’t you say something? He would have left if you had asked him to.”

            “He’s
your friend. I didn’t want to overstep my bounds. It wasn’t my decision to
make. Believe me, Kate. I wouldn’t have wasted a single second of our time
together with him.”

            Slightly
mollified, she let him pull her into his arms. “You still could’ve said
something,” she argued halfheartedly, snuggling into the crook of his neck.

            “Do
you want me to kill him for having the audacity to interrupt our romantic staff
lounge dinner? Say the word and I will.”

            Kate
giggled. “I don’t think that’ll be necessary.” 

            “Suit
yourself,” he sighed in sham disappointment. “Let me know if you change your
mind.”

            “You’ll
be the first to know,” she promised.  

            “What
about dessert?” he asked, trailing light kisses down the ivory column of her
throat.

            “You
heard Guy, it’s against the rules. I could get fired,” she answered, all the
while dreamily succumbing to the flame of desire his kisses ignited.

            “That’s
not what I meant,” he denied with a roguish grin, nipping at the tingling flesh
he’d just kissed. “I brought Crème Brule, Crepe Suzette, Banana Foster, and
chocolate cake.”

            “Hmm,
you had me at chocolate cake. Can we save it for later?” She couldn’t resist
imagining the many delicious ways they could enjoy those desserts together.

            “Possibly,
but they would be better fresh. You didn’t eat much,” he pointed out with a
frown, eyeing her untouched food. “Why don’t I leave all of this for you and
your coworkers to finish off?”

            “Oh
they’d love that. You’d probably be sainted with your own holiday and
everything,” she joked. Her coworkers would eat anything left out in the break
room. Two-week-old pie, strawberries that qualified as a source of penicillin…
Anything. “You don’t want any dessert?”

            “What
I want is not offered on the menu,” he told her with a rueful smile, caressing
her jaw with his knuckle.

            Heat
rose in her cheeks. “Oh.” Eloquent, Kate, real eloquent.

            “Do
you have time to walk me out?”

            “Of
course,” she agreed, shyly taking his hand.

            Hand-in-hand,
they walked through her department, past gawking nurses and doctors, clerks and
paramedics. Kate easily ignored the curious gapes and knowing smirks. She only
had eyes for Dominic. No matter how slowly she tried to walk, to savor each and
every last second with him, the parking lot and his waiting car drew inevitably
nearer. Stopping by the driver’s side door, he pulled her into his arms and
held her as if he might never let her go.

            “Thanks
for bringing me dinner,” she said against his chest.

            “Thank
you for letting me.”

            “So,
I guess I’ll see you Tuesday,” she stumbled over the words.

            “Unless
you let me pick you up from work in the morning to make sure you get home
safe.”

            “At
three thirty in the morning? That won’t be necessary.” Her heart revolted,
demanding she grasp at any chance to see him again, but she ignored its
protests. “I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll have someone walk me out in the
morning. Thanks, though.”

            “You’re
sure?” He looked doubtful.

            “Positive.
I’ll be fine,” Kate assured him with a hesitant smile that belied her
confidence.

It’s not like she could expect him to
drop everything and hang around all of the time to protect her. As a strong
twenty first century woman, she could take care of herself. Well, most of the
time anyway. He had saved her bacon once already. But these were not medieval
times, she was not a damsel in distress, and he was not her knight in shining
armor. Okay, maybe he was. But still, he couldn’t guard her all of the time.

“Let me give you my number, in case you
change your mind.”

Kate handed him her cell phone, knowing
full well she wouldn’t bother him at that time of night. Hey, it was an excuse
to get his number. He punched in the information and pressed the call button.
She heard his phone vibrate from within one of his pockets. He hung up her
phone and handed it back. “Now I have your number as well.”

“Thanks.”

His arms encircled her once more,
pulling her close. She loved the smell of him. She loved the feel of him. No
question in her mind, she loved all of him.

            “Call
me if you need me,” he murmured against her hair.

As she tipped her head back to look at
him, he dipped his head to claim her lips with his own. She returned his knee
weakening kiss with all her heart, softening in his arms under the intense heat
of his passion. Kate feared she might liquefy into a puddle at his feet, if he
let her go.

He held her and kissed her as if they
had all the time in the world. Unfortunately, reality was not so kind. With
reluctance, Kate dragged herself away.

            “Thanks.
I will.”

“Until tomorrow, then. Be safe,
cara
.”

He brushed his lips lightly against hers
and stepped back. Kate sighed as he got into the car and the engine purred to
life. He held his hand up in farewell. Kate bit her lip and returned the
gesture. The sleek little Porsche sped off into the evening, leaving Kate no
choice but to get back to work. The problem was, Dominic had driven off with
the last of what little concentration she’d had.

Chapter
8

“All done,” Lindsey announced with pride
as she jabbed the last bobby pin into the updo at the back of Kate’s head.

“How do I look?” Kate asked, rising from
the edge of the bed to stand before the full length mirror of her room. She nervously
tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. “Do you think Dominic will like
it?”

Kate twirled for her friend’s inspection
in a strapless sheath of sleek black satin, the form fitting lines accentuating
each curve of her shapely body. Her bare arms and shoulders gleamed in
startling contrast against the dark sheen of midnight satin. Not a hint of
bruising in sight. Strange for so little time. Not that she was complaining.

The corset-like bodice lifted her full
bosom to overflowing, while daring slits slashed high up each side, offering scandalous
glimpses of leg with the slightest movement. Delicate lace topped the sheer
black thigh high stockings that accentuated every curve and nuance of her long
legs.

A pair of black stiletto high heels made
her legs look all the more impressive, completing the look of a born temptress.
Or a high end prostitute, but Kate was sticking with temptress. That’s what she
got for recruiting Lindsey to help her pick the perfect look for her surprise
date with Dominic. Lindsey would probably send her naked with a big bow around
her waist, if she thought she could get away with it.

Temptress she may’ve looked, but she
felt more like a weeble wobble. For though Kate was coordinated enough with
both feet firmly planted on the ground, the lofty spikes required much more
conscious effort to keep herself from tottering as she walked. She probably
wouldn’t be able to walk without breaking a leg, but her legs would look damn good
doing it.

“If he doesn’t, he’s either blind, gay,
or dead. I don’t think he suffers from any of the above,” Lindsey replied
dryly.

“No, probably not,” Kate agreed with a
grin, “but I have been known to lead even the manliest of men astray.”

“Ha,” Lindsey chortled. “A fluke,
nothing more. I’d love to see you manage that one again.”

“I think I’ll pass. I kind of like this
one.”

“Suit yourself,” Lindsey sighed in mock
disappointment, her blue eyes twinkling. “You’d have your work cut out for you
tonight anyway. You look a-mazing in that dress. I doubt there’s a man alive
who could turn you down when you look like that, straight or otherwise.”

Kate smiled in gratitude. “Thanks, Linz.”

“No problem,” Lindsey said, dismissing Kate’s
words with a wave of her hand. “I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true.”

“I know, but---”

“Kate, stop it,” Lindsey cut her off. “You
look gorgeous. I know it and you know it. Lord knows, Dominic will know it. Just
go have fun, okay?”

“Mm’kay,” Kate agreed. She knew she had
a reason for keeping Lindsey around.

“Where’s he taking you?”

Kate shrugged, “Beats me.”

“A surprise, huh?”

“I guess so. You know about as much as I
do. All he’ll tell me is to wear something dressy, but comfortable. Every time
I try to wheedle more information out of him, he grins and says ‘you’ll see.’”

“He’s such a guy,” Lindsey sighed. “It doesn’t
really matter what you’re doing though, does it? Even if it’s pulling weeds or
declawing cats, I’m sure it will be fabulous. I’d go anywhere that man asked me
to.”